Writing on the Topic of Identity, Diversity, Belonging, & Community
In recent years, supplemental essays on the topics of personal identity and diversity have grown in popularity among many universities. In some cases, this prompt is optional (which we know isn’t really optional, right? By not responding, you’re relinquishing a valuable opportunity to share yourself with the admissions committee.) In other cases, this type of prompt is a required part of the application process.
Let’s look at a few examples:
Example 1: Duke University (optional writing prompt, maximum of 250 words)
Duke University seeks a talented, engaged student body that embodies the wide range of human experience; we believe that the diversity of our students makes our community stronger. If you’d like to share a perspective you bring or experiences you’ve had to help us understand you better—perhaps related to a community you belong to or your family or cultural background—we encourage you to do so. Real people are reading your application, and we want to do our best to understand and appreciate the real people applying to Duke.
Example 2: Rice University (required writing prompt, maximum of 500 words)
Rice is lauded for creating a collaborative atmosphere that enhances the quality of life for all members of our campus community. The Residential College System is heavily influenced by the unique life experiences and cultural traditions each student brings. What personal perspectives would you contribute to life at Rice?
Example 3: University of Michigan (required writing prompt, maximum of 300 words)
Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong and describe that community and your place within it.
What are these prompts really asking? While the language and expected word count differs a bit, these prompts are all asking the same underlying questions:
Who are you?
What makes you unique?
What communities do you belong to?
What perspective would you bring to this campus?
How might your lived experiences be different from your future college classmates?
As a brainstorming strategy, feel free to jot down brief responses to each of these questions. As you consider specific communities that you are part of, here are a few suggestions to get you thinking:
Your culture, race, or ethnicity
Your gender identity
Your sexual orientation
Your religion
Your family’s socioeconomic status
Your neighborhood or the area where you grew up
Your values, beliefs, interests
Your unique life experiences
An ability (or disability)
A club or organization that you’re actively engaged with
Allow me to provide a quick word of caution here. This essay prompt is designed to be deeply personal, pulling back the layers of your identity that aren’t evident in your transcript and your test scores. However, it’s important to remember that this writing is yours, and you should not place any pressure on yourself to write about aspects of yourself that you aren’t ready to share with a panel of strangers.
In my work coaching students through the college essay process, I’ve received numerous questions about this type of prompt. Here are a few questions that have been asked recently:
“I identify as LGBTQ+, but my extended family doesn’t even know that yet. I don’t feel like there’s anything else really ‘unique’ about my identity. Should I write about my sexuality here?”
Only if you want to! This is your essay, and you are not required to disclose anything that doesn’t feel 100 percent comfortable for you. Just because you identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community doesn’t mean that this is the only interesting aspect of your identity to write about. Every college applicant is a dynamic individual with a lot of different layers to their identity and building a diverse incoming college class can look a lot of different ways. Often, students feel that they must share an aspect of their identity that has been marginalized, and that is simply not the case. That’s actually not the purpose or intent of this essay. If you’re feeling stuck and need ideas, try asking a loved one, “What makes me unique?” and jot down what they say as a brainstorming technique.
“I’m white, identify as straight, and I grew up in a middle-class home. I attended a public high school in the suburbs of a major city. When I read through this prompt, I immediately think that I’m not part of any specific community and there’s nothing especially unique about me.”
Really? There’s nothing unique about you? Let’s take this a little further. Perhaps it’s not the major categories of identity that you need to be focusing on here (such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic class.) Instead, what life experiences have you had that are likely different from the person sitting next to you? Through further discussion, I learned that this student had spent several years of their childhood living in Germany and had also been vegan for more than ten years. Boom! These are both unique aspects of an individual’s personal story, and either topic would make a lovely essay.
Just to get you thinking about some additional writing ideas that might not feel so straightforward, here are a few other topics I’ve encountered over the years for the “identity, diversity, belonging, community” essay prompts:
Being an adoptee
Being raised in a Kosher household
Being fluent in sign language
Holding a strong identity as a feminist
Being a musician
Having a peanut allergy
Being left-handed
Being raised by two dads
Having a military family
Being raised in a home with no television
Being a runner
Colleges strive to build a campus community that is diverse and inclusive, and this is your opportunity to show them what kind of unique experiences and perspectives you’d bring. Don’t be afraid to draw outside the lines a bit and exhibit creativity and authenticity in your approach.
Let’s consider this example essay:
My feet hit the ground with a resounding thud, and I squealed in glee. At six years old, I’d finally surpassed the height requirement of 44 inches tall and had thoroughly enjoyed my first roller coaster ride. The ride was terrifying and exhilarating all in one, and that day marked my entrance into a new community: those who self-identify as risk-takers.
Since that memorable day at the amusement park, I have embraced a variety of risks in my life. I’ve learned how to rock climb and how to perform skateboard stunts. I taught myself to speak Spanish (thanks, Duo Lingo) and sampled every new food I’ve ever been offered (Oysters? Escargot? Yes, please.) Recently, I ran for class president, knowing full well that I would lose. You know what, though? The experience was completely worth the risk. I gained a new friend in the process.
Being a risk-taker doesn’t mean that I engage in risky behavior; instead, it means that I’m not afraid to embrace life fully. I don’t mind getting dirty; I’m not afraid of failing, and I’m okay with hearing “no.” Being open to risks is a fundamental way that I approach other people and the world around me, and I find myself gravitating toward other “risk-takers.” In them, I’ve found my community.
While this essay is short, here are a few aspects that worked:
The writer begins with a story that immediately grabs the reader’s attention.
The writer responds to the prompt by identifying a unique community (risk takers) that they belong to.
The writer provides clear examples of what it means to be a risk-taker.
The writer paints a clear picture of their individuality and the unique perspectives that they’ll bring to the campus community.
This essay is designed to be unique and personal. Your topic options are limitless—go with it!
